The Return of the Comics Code Authority

In 1954, the Comics Magazine Association of America created the Comics Code Authority which effectively prevented comic books from major publishers covering a wide variety of issues right up until 2011 (when DC and Archie finally ditched the CCA). The CCA was a response to the 1950 comic book hysteria which saw groups publicly burning comic books and advocating for their outright ban.

Now, though, pressure from culture warriors on the left and the right threaten to create a new de facto Comics Code that will be just as limiting and stifling as the CCA was.

In October 2018, Chuck Wendig was fired by Marvel allegedly over Tweets he sent regarding the Brett Kavanaugh hearings. Before that, in 2014 DC writer Chuck Dixon claimed that his comic book writing career had dried up due to his conservative political views.

This week, DC/Vertigo announced it was dropping plans to publish Mark Russell’s Second Coming book which featured Jesus Christ as the protagonist.

We will all lose if we allow the special snowflakes on either the right or the left to force comic book publishers into a de facto CCA where only “safe” stories and “safe” artists and writers are published.